An animal model for the effects of estradiol on dopamine-mediated behavior: Implications for sex differences in schizophrenia

摘要: Schizophrenic women have been consistently found to a later age of onset and less severe clinical course illness as compared with schizophrenic men. Because these differences are not explained by diagnostic artifacts or sociocultural factors, we tested the hypothesis that they determined influence gonadal hormones testosterone estradiol on dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission. We used animal models in which effects behavioral changes induced DA antagonist haloperidol (catalepsy) agonist apomorphine (oral stereotypies, grooming sitting behavior) were investigated neonatal adult treated rats. No consistent observed. Estradiol significantly reduced both apomorphine, this effect was more pronounced neonatally animals. These results suggest downward regulation neurotransmission estradiol, is supported 3H-sulpiride binding determinations brain homogenates from same animals: caused 2.8-fold reduction receptor affinity sulpiride. Our findings might act protective modulator schizophrenia enhancing vulnerability threshold for psychosis through Such mechanism could explain, at least part, favorable female patients.